Don’T Squander Fox Opportunity
A Spokane landmark, the 61-year-old Fox Theater, is for sale. Beloved for the past 10 years as a “dollar” theater and for decades prior as a more glamorous entertainment venue, the historic Fox soon will embark on yet another phase of its life. For the Fox, this future appears to be a matter of life or death.
Two prospective buyers have emerged so far. The Spokane Club, on the hunt for parking spaces, would raze the building and put up a parking lot for members. While the club’s effort to find an alternative to building on the Spokane River’s bank is laudable, razing the Fox is not the kind of solution the people of our community will appreciate. The last thing the heart of Spokane needs is another big square of asphalt - especially at the expense of a lovely, historic building.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Spokane Symphony’s proposal. The symphony is investigating the idea of renovating the Fox as a concert hall. The seating capacity of a refurbished Fox would put the facility, size-wise, between The Met and the Opera House. Clearly there’s a niche for such a facility in Spokane as the community gains momentum in drawing performing arts to our region.
The Symphony’s interest is exciting.
The Fox is an outstanding example of art deco architecture and is worth preserving for that reason alone. Yes, the exterior could use a bit of sprucing up - but look inside. To see and admire the lobby is in itself worth the price of admission to a movie. The sweeping grand staircase and elaborate decor are stunning.
The Fox as a symphony hall would infuse an additional spark of life into the Davenport Arts District. Without the Fox, there’s little linking downtown with the historic Carnegie Square project to the west except asphalt and lifeless-by-night office and commercial spaces.
A symphony hall, available and suitable for virtually all community arts organizations, would liven the street appeal of an otherwise dull area. Intensified foot traffic would logically inspire entrepreneurs to fill those little retail slots flanking the Fox with eateries and watering holes.
The cost of renovation isn’t cheap, but with enough community support, perhaps cost wouldn’t be an insurmountable hurdle.
Think of the Fox as an heirloom, like Grandma’s dining room table. Few people would reduce a family heirloom to a pile of kindling simply because it would be costly to restore. Likewise should be the thinking here: Preserve an irreplaceable structure that has exciting potential, or crunch it into blacktop?
The Met, a gloriously restored facility in constant use, was once a movie theater. The Fox, as well, could again be a genuine community asset.
Whatever becomes of the Fox Theater, the outcome should not involve a wrecking ball.